(Slightly) Abridged Eorzean History
Geography, Religion, and Epoch Naming Conventions: The world of Hydaelyn consists of 3 continents: Ilsabard, Othard, and Aldenard. The continent Aldenard and its surrounding islands (including Limsa Lominsa) make up Eorzea. Currently, Hydaelyn is in the 7th Umbral Era, which is essentially the 13th era, as each Astral (light) era has a corresponding Umbral (Dark) era. Eras usually begin with some world-changing event. Typically, one of the 6 elements is associated with each Astral/Umbral cycle – until now indicative of the event that brought about the change in the era. There are 12 deities worshipped by the people of Eorzea, and each of them is also associated with an Umbral or Astral aspected element. Aside from these 12 divinities, there are also the Primals worshipped by the beast tribes. These beings are summoned into physical form by said beast tribes by consumption of aether, the life-force of the world. When defeated, they lose their corporeal form, but can be summoned again and again. Basic Timeline: Time of the Twelve · Time Unknown History prior to the First Umbral Era is known as ‘the Time of the Twelve’. It is said that God and Goddesses inhabited the land at this time. Whether this means that the land was solely populated by the Twelve, the Twelve and the Primals, some advanced magical race, or some combination thereof is unknown. Wandering tribes of Lalafell, Elezen, and Roegadyn first appear during the Time of the Twelve. Hyur and Miqo’te would not appear until the First Astral Era and the Fifth Umbral Era, respectively. The First Era (Wind) · First Umbral Era o Time unknown In the First Umbral Era, war breaks out between the wandering tribes. Angered, the Twelve abandon the land to the tribes. · First Astral Era o Time Unknown Ancestors of the Hyur first appear in this Era; the Age of Man begins. The Second Era (Lightning) · Second Umbral Era o Time Unknown No known history recorded for this Era · Second Astral Era o Time unknown No known history recorded for this Era The Third Era (Fire) · Third Umbral Era o Time unknown No confirmed history recorded for this Era. Based on the events of the Third Astral Era, the rise of Bahamut may have occurred during this era, but this is merely speculation. · Third Astral Era o Approximately 5000 years ago During this time, the Allagan Empire was founded and spread across the continent of Aldenard, possibly as far as the isle of Vyllbrand, today home to Limsa Lominsa. The Allagan Empire also builds the Royal Allagan Sunway and Starway in what is now Thanalan. Most notably, the Allagan Empire imprisons the Elder Primal Bahamut in the lesser moon Dalamud during this Era. The Fourth Era (Earth) · Fourth Umbral Era o Approximately 4000 years ago The Allagan Empire falls, though what brought about its downfall is a mystery. · Fourth Astral Era o Sometime between 3000 and 4000 years ago No known history recorded for this Era The Fifth Era (Ice) · Fifth Umbral Era o Sometime between 3000 and 4000 years ago The first Miqo’te tribes appear after crossing the frozen seas in search of food. · Fifth Astral Era o Approximately 3000 years ago The discovery of magic occurred at roughly this time, ringing in the Fifth Astral Era. The thaumaturge Shatotto uses the meteor spell to force the descent of a ‘star’. She uses the resulting fragments to create the Stardust Rod. This is the era in which many white mages begin abusing their powers. While at first magic seems to be the much-needed solution to the cold, ever do those practiced in the art press on, and so Black Magic is born. To keep the balance, White Magic comes into existence. Over time, the white mages and black mages alike begin to use their power for selfish gain – acts that threaten to desecrate the Twelveswood. The war of the Magi breaks out between Amdapor and Nym, possibly others. Though Nym is able to keep the powerful magic of Amdapor – magic that can alter the very fabric of existence – in check, their people are infected with ‘the sickness from the sea.’ Despite the best efforts of their scholars, the disease cannot be stopped. Those afflicted find their skin festering and their limbs rotting away. What remains are the first tonberries. To stop the spread of the sickness, those infected are sealed within Wanderer’s Palace, and the Nym society is soon lost. Meanwhile, Amdapor has nearly destroyed itself with its own perverse magic, and are in the Black Shroud without the leave of the Elementals. Angry, the elementals send a great flood to purify the land and the woods grow unchecked to overwhelm anything that was not swept away, ushering in the Sixth Umbral Era. The Sixth Era (Water) · Sixth Umbral Era o Approximately 1572 years ago Eorzea attempts to recover from the great flood. · Sixth Astral Era Time is now current – years are represented as Eorzean calendar years o 233 Lewphon of Sharlayan writes The Five Ages – An Eorzean Chronology, ''regarded as the realm’s first comprehensive history. o '~572''' The first Hyur arrive in Eorzea in three migratory groups. Halone, impressed with the valor of some of Hyur’s predecessors, appears before the courageous and true Thordan. She charges him with the leadership of her chosen people, himself and his comrades, to the Promised Land – what would later be Ishgard. On their journey, they encounter a wide canyon and attempt to bridge it. While doing so, the great wyrm Nidhogg descends upon Thordan and his people. Thordan, fearless to the end, is the first to charge the drake, but is pushed into the chasm to his death by a comrade under Nidhogg’s thrall. Haldreth, son of Thordan, retrieves his fallen father’s lance and with it plucks out the wyrm’s eye; in doing so he becomes the first Dragoon. Nidhogg flees and his eye remains in Ishgard to this day, a source of dragon powers both terrible and great. Also, the arrival of Hyur in Elezen controlled lands sparks the controversy that will eventually divide the Elezen into two clans. o ~872 Limsa Lominsa is founded in Aldenard on the Isle of Vylbrand out of the wreckage of the battleship Galadion. Legend has it that Llymalaen, Navigator of the Twelve, took pity on the survivors of a vast armada that fled its homeland following a crushing defeat. She led them to the shores of Vylbrand and their ships were scuttled upon the rocks. With no means home, they settled where they landed. o ~972 The first of his line, the sultan Sasagan Ul Sisigan , founds Ul’dah. Further, he decrees that members of his house would always be protected by a cadre of elite guardians known as the Sultan Sworn. Three swords are forged for the three founding paladins; Curtana is said to exist to date. o 1022 The Ixali settle in the Twelveswood, where they begin building homes in the trees. They call it ‘Tinolqa’ (translates roughly to ‘Blessed Forest’ in the common tongue). They have not yet lost their ability to fly. o Sometime between 1022 and 1422 The Ixali population booms, and they overflow the borders of their territory. Angered with their thoughtless expansion, the elementals exile the Ixali from the Twelveswood. They migrate to the canyons of Xelphatol, where their children are hatched without the specific feathers needed to catch the wind. Before long, they lose the ability to fly completely, retaining only vestigial wings. o Sometime between 1272 and 1372 Once a sister city-state to Ul’dah, Sil’dih is ruled by the King of Springs, King Lalawefu. Though prosperous for some time, a combination of increased tax rates and a poorly timed drought cause a good deal of negative sentiment amongst the people of both Ul’dah and Sil’dih. Sil’dih has advanced flood and drought control in the form of aqueducts, and an unofficial war breaks out between the city-states. As they are nearly equally matched in might, Sil’dih fears that unless something is done, the city-state will be overrun by Ul’dah. They develop a method that turns their fallen soldiers into what are essentially zombies. Ul’dah uses this as a reason to officially declare war. Eventually, Sil’dah loses control of the abominations it has birthed, and Ul’dah seals the gates of its now rival city-state. Sil’dah self-destructs. Very little information is available, but it seems that either Ul’dah endeavored to have Sil’dih struck from history, or Sil’dah lacked means or motivation to keep records. Either way, the city disappears under the sand, all but forgotten. o 1422 The Ixali invent dirigibles to overcome their inability to fly. o 1457 Nidhogg begins his century long hibernation in Dravania o 1468 - 1469 Under Kind Manfred, Ala Mhigo invades the Twelveswood in the First Battle of Tinolqa (of the Autumn War). For a time, victory seems assured for the Ala Mhigans, and King Manfred calls for their surrender. The terms of surrender also demanded all eastern portions of the Central Shroud as well as the deliverance of the Seedseers as wards of Ala Mhigo. Gridania refuses the terms. Ishgard’s Holy See, wary that the occupation of parts of the Black Shroud would leave their southern and eastern borders vulnerable to attack, asks Limsa Lominsa and Ul’dah to come to Gridania’s aid. As the two city-states would stand to lose nothing should the Ala Mhigans succeed, but would gain much should they halt the advance (at the very least, Gridania would be in their debt), they readily join the alliance. The bulk of the war takes place now on the East End of the Black Shroud in a series of maneuvers known as the Second Battle of Tinolqa. The allied forces succeed for a time in halting the Ala Mhigan advance, but when the pikemen of Ala Mhigo, long known for their brutal efficiency against mounted troops such as the bulk of Ishgardian forces, are led by King Manfred himself, the Ala Mhigans regain some of the ground they had lost. However, the retreat to the East End is a ploy – the Ala Mhigan pikemen’s pole arms are nearly useless in the dense forest growth. It is also in the Autumn War that Gridania proves its worth beyond archery: their forces sing to rally the troops, and it is said this is where the Bard tradition was born. Coupled with their archers, who not only know the Black Shroud but excel at combat in it, Gridanian forces rapidly thin the Ala Mhigan forces. Eventually, King Manfred was wounded, General Gylbarde killed, and Ala Mhigo was forced to retreat, defeated. Chocobo barding is also invented during the Autumn War. An Ishgardian scout, one Beltrat Durendaire, and his chocobo Ouranos discover a secret Ala Mhigan march while on patrol. They are able to repel the march, but sustain serious injuries. Though they make it back to camp to report the sighting and skirmish, Ouranos’ wounds prove to be fatal, and he dies. For this reason, chocobo barding is developed. o 1472 The goblin pilgrimage, taken once every 100 years, begins. The black mage Ququruka seals himself in the Marasaja Pit along with his creation, Barbatos after a ritual performed with Kazibb Chah of the Amalj'aa,Hateli Meloc of the Ixal, and Da Gu of the Kobold goes terribly wrong. All three beastmen lose their lives. Mistalle, a Captain of Gridania’s Wood Wailers forms the Lancers’ Guild, an effort to combine the many spear techniques of Eorzea into one comprehensive art. o 1492 His Radiance the Emporer Solus zos Galvus of the Garlean Empire is born into the small Garlemald Republic. o 1506 Roddard Ironheart, grandfather of Nedrick Ironheart, drafts the first complete map of Eorzea. o 1521 The Empire of Garlemald is founded by 29 year-old Solus zos Galvus. He is instrumental in integrating magitek into the Garlean Military and has the formal support of his people in transitioning to a military super-power and Empire under his rule. o Approximately 1527 Under command of Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn, the League of Lost Bastards battle the crew of Rycharde Mystbeard off the coast of Bloodshore, giving the location its name. o Sometime between 1537 and 1542 The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak, a prison in the Central Black Shroud, is declared barbaric and immoral due to its appeal to poachers and arsonists and is sealed by the Elder Seedseer. o Approximately 1540 Sibold is the sole survivor of the Darklight Raiders when they are defeated by the Chimera of Cutters Cry while on a job. o 1552 The Ixali defeat the Gridanian forces and subsequently humiliate the Gods’ Quiver in the Battle of Griffin Crossing. The battle takes place on the eponymous bridge between the Central Highlands and Eastern Lowlands in Coerthas. Theodoric, the King of Ruin, endeavors to eliminate the Fists of Rhalgr – the monks of Ala Mhigo – and largely succeeds. The order is almost completely eradicated. o 1557 In the unrest that spawnedfollowing King Theodoric’s crusade against the Fists of Rhalgr, spurred along by Gaius van Baelsar of the XIVth Legion, the Garlean Empire is able to easily take Ala Mhigo, great city of Highlanders. Nael van Darnus begins research into project meteor to weaponize the lesser moon Dalamud. Nidhogg awakens after a century of slumber and destroys the city of Ferndale in the Coerthas Eastern Highlands. The dragoon Ser Alberic battles the wyrm, but suffers injuries and loses his dragoon abilities. Though Nidhogg falls into slumber again due to his injuries at the hand of Ser Alberic, Ishgard suffers many casualities. o Sometime between 1557 and 1562 As intelligence on Imperial activity slowed to a trickle, adventurers turn their efforts to assisting one Louisoix Leveilleur, leader of the Archons. He hails from the island nation of Sharlayan in the northern reaches of Dravinia, and belongs to a collective known as the Circle of Knowing. Said organization takes on the gargantuan task of archiving all knowledge in existence. Forced to flee their homeland when the Garlean Empire began its campaign, Leveilleur claims he and his companions had come to Eorzea to put their vast knowledge to better use. In an effort to gather intelligence, these Sharlayans (including Papalymo, Yda, Urianger, Y’shtola, and Thancred) begin looking into city-states. Y’shtola investigates Limsa Lominsa to locate ‘the treasure’. The first primal is summoned (the sea serpent), and for a time the Garlean Empire ceases its advance into Erozea. The 5th Levy of the Knights of Barracuda is eradicated by the Sahagin during Sthalmann’s attempted coup. During this time, the Sharlayan Thancred investigates Ul’dah. Research into the Meteor project is moved to Bozja Citadel under Midas nan Garlond, father of Cid. Nael van Darnus, the White Raven, resumes control of the VIIth Legion. Gaius van Baelsar, the Black Wolf, and his XIVth Legion secure control of Gyr Abania, a region in former control of Ala Mhigo. o 1562 The Garlean Empire resumes its invasion of Eorzea with the advamce of its fleet into Mor Dhona, led by the flagship Agrius, in the Battle of Silvertear Skies. The dragons of Dravania, under the call of the Guardian of the Lake, Midgardsormr, attack the fleet, and Midgardsormr brings down the Agrius himself. The resulting Ceruleum explosion brings an end to them both, and they are still frozen in place in Silvertear Lake. The influx of dragon kin forces Ishgard to withdraw its support in talks of an Alliance with Gridania, Limsa Lominsa, and Ul’dah in order to focus on their own Holy War with dragon kind. The explosion also causes a massive influx of aether, releasing primals and awakening the Echo across Eorzea. Mor Dhona’s labndscape changes with the aetherial disturbance, and is soon a crystalline wasteland. Beastmen are soon exiled from Ul’dah in fear that their presence could make the city a target of the Garlean forces. In the Empire of Garlemald’s homeland, Bozja Citadel is completely destroyed in an attempt to bring down the lesser moon Dalamud. Cid Garlond’s father dies in the incident. This and the pervasive unrest regarding the intentions of the Garlean Empire cause Cid and other engineers to defect to the city-states in hopes of preventing slaughter. In this new land they take on the name Garlond Ironworks. In the wake of the Battle of Silvertear Skies, Garlean Empire forces regroup in Ala Mhigo, beginning a military stalemate that would last nearly a decade. o 1564 The Amalj’aa summon Ifrit at Mythril Pit T-3 o Sometime between 1567 and 1571 The Company of Heroes defeat Titan and Leviathan o 1571 The Garlean Empire once again resumes the invasion of Eorzea under Nael van Darnus and the VIIth Legion. Darnus resurrects the Meteor project and begins running supplies and troops to hidden bases in Mor Dhona. o 1572 Merlwyb Bloefhiswyn becomes the Admiral of Limsa Lominsa and reinstates the Maelstrom. Similarly, the Bull of Ala Mhigo, Raubahn Aldynn, uses his winnings from the Ul’dahn Gladiator Arena to buy the facility, earning himself a seat on the city Syndicate. Together with the Saltana Nanamo Ul Namo – and despite the disapproval of others in the Syndicate – he revives the Immortal Flames. Meanwhile, Elder Seedseer Kan-E-Senna of Gridania reinstates the Twin Adders. Most vocal for the return of the Eorzean Alliance, she convinces Limsa Lominsa and Ul’dah to band their Grand Companies together with hers, and the Eorzean Alliance is formed. Urianger Auguerelt of the Sharlayans begins to spread warnings of the coming Seventh Umbral Era. Nael van Darnus, the White Raven, has abandoned all pretense of working under the Empire’s designs – he has his own reasons for seeing the fall of Dalamud. He would not see them through – he is defeated, at least in part due to Gaius van Baelsar of the XIVth Legion nudging the forces of Eorzea toward intelligence that would assist in his defeat. It is also in part due to his own madness – once defeated, his remains are absorbed into Dalamud. Still, it is during the Battle of Carteneau Flats between The Garlean Empire’s Viith Legion and Eorzea’s Grand Companies -ranks bolstered with Adventurers - that Dalamud finally falls, releasing the Elder Primal Bahamut. From the Cartenau Flats (situated northwest of Ul’dah and Southwest of Mor Dhona), Bahamut releases a wave of destruction that reaches all the way to Limsa Lominsa. Louisoix is able to teleport the adventurers out of danger, but he – and much of Eorzea – is lost. Though Bahamut is defeated, it is still a mystery as to how. This marks the Calamity and the start of the Seventh Umbral Era. The Seventh Era (no elemental aspect) · Seventh Umbral Era o 00 Marks the year the Calamity occurred, ushering in the Seventh Umbral Era. o Approximately 05 Present day; events of Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn